I pray that one day we can look back at the hysteria regarding millennials, and realize it was much like the overblown critical rhetoric surrounding Generation X.
Of course, every time I see something like this I know that comparison is simply not true:
Millennials are known for throwing off the shackles of 9-to-5 office jobs and working freelance so they can backpack around the world and post a million selfies on Instagram. Other than the selfies, that’s pretty admirable and daring, and if I weren’t such a stereotypical broke Millennial with more debt than my annual salary, I might consider doing the same. But instead of working remote jobs or finding jobs where they travel, some of these backpackers have turned to begging to fund their travels.
I don’t mean begging their parents for money; these “beg-packers” are begging for money in the streets in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Some of them are trying to sell trinkets or photographs, but others are flat out pan-handling.
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Not only is this behavior appalling, but it may also be against the law in some countries. “First of all, you don’t see many people selling knick-knacks or playing music in the street in Singapore because there are strict rules governing these activities,” a Singapore local Maisarah Abu Samah said. Only people with work visas are allowed to sell in the streets in Singapore.
So not only are these beg-packers shamelessly asking for money to fund their luxury travels, they’re also ignorant of the local laws. It would be understandable if a traveler was robbed of all their money and they had no way of getting home, but all signs suggest the beg-packers are just asking for money to fund their world travels. And it isn’t just one or two people, this trend is starting to grow.
Entitlement doesn’t get much worse than this.
They are actually planning on begging rather than working to fund their travels. It’s not that they happened to misjudge how much it would cost. They actually view the entire planet like their parents.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to travel around the world. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to wait until retirement to do it. There’s something absolutely disgusting about begging on the streets alongside the actually destitute when you are capable of working and planning ahead, and further, using the charity to party.
For those who are doing freelance work here and there as they travel, more power to you. You’re earning your money, after all.
To these beg-packers, do everyone a favor. Grow up.
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